A MEMS triple sensing scheme based on nonlinear coupled micromachined resonators

In the past few decades, advances in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) have produced robust, accurate, and high-performance devices. Extensive research has been conducted to improve the selectivity and sensitivity of MEMS sensors by adjusting the device dimensions and adopting nonlinear features. However, the sensing for multiple parameters typically relies on combining several separate MEMS devices. In this work, a new triple sensing scheme via nonlinear weakly coupled resonators is introduced, which could simultaneously detect three different physical stimuli (including vertical acceleration) by monitoring the dynamic response around the first three lowest modes. The Euler-Bernoulli beam model with three-modes Galerkin discretization is used to derive a reduced-order model considering the geometric and electrostatic nonlinearities to characterize the resonator's nonlinear dynamics under the influence of different stimuli. The simulation results show the potential of the nonlinear coupled resonator to perform triple detection.

Presented at the Third International Nonlinear Dynamics Conference (NODYCON 2023), Rome, Italy, June 18-22, 2023.

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